


they convinced you life is war

by Amber_Flicker



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Heathers, Angst, Dark, M/M, Unhealthy Relationships, Welcome to the bad life decisions club, losfrpw2k17, we have parent issues and unhealthy coping mechanisms!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-11-22 22:00:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11389260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amber_Flicker/pseuds/Amber_Flicker
Summary: How did it go so far?-Legends of Superflarrow Rare Pair Week - Day 6 - High school/college AU





	they convinced you life is war

The thing was, he hadn't meant to do it. Maybe he'd thought about it, not that he'd admit it, but killing Harrison Wells had never been something he planned to do. Even with how deeply he'd hurt Hartley. Their relationship was never really appropriate for teacher-student, it had been doomed to crash and burn. It was all a blur. He only knew it happened on an impulse decision- something that seemed to happen a lot around Axel, it was like he influenced Hartley's worst side- and just like that, he was gone. 

His classmates? He'd been.. more aware of what he was doing, then, he and Axel had planned it in advance. Hartley hadn't expected actual _murder_ to happen, sure, but he hadn't been so unprepared. And after, he'd been too high on the adrenaline rush to think about what a terrible thing they'd done. Barry hadn't deserved to die. Not Snart, either.

This time, Hartley had the rationality to process what Axel had just said.

"You're... going to blow up the school?"

"Exactly!" Hartley wished Axel didn't seem so excited about it. No.. he wished he'd never gotten involved. "They're all assholes, they just keep ruining everything we try to do. Why not just get rid of them?"

None of it had truly clicked for him before now. Sure, the first time it happened, he'd been a little horrified, but not as much as he _should_ have been. Than it happened again, and again, and it all had spiralled out of control. He hadn't felt any regret until now. He hadn't realized how _wrong_ that was until now. It was like his love for Axel had obscured all else. Like the agonizing need for someone to care about him had made doing whatever it took to get that acceptable.

(he tried to tell himself that was the only reason he hadn't been sorry)

"What are we doing, Axel?" He breathed out.

"Nothing they haven't earned." He took in Hartley's expression, closed-off posture. "Don't tell me you're getting all self righteous now, Piper. 's a little late for that." 

It was. Three people had died already- not died, he'd _murdered_ three people- and he couldn't get back that innocence now. But killing an entire school? He couldn't... how had this all happened? "This is a bad idea."

"Oh, you are. They got to you, right? See, this is why we have to do this."

"I can't do this, Axel." 

"You _can._ " He stepped closer. Hartley felt like this was where he was supposed to step back. He didn't find himself _wanting_ to. That scared him more than anything. "You have it in you, we both know it."

But giving in would be _so_ easy... "No, I-"

"You gotta set yourself free, Piper."

This was... this was wrong, but. Was it? Was this so bad? Axel was right about everyone at the school being awful, save for a few, but did that mean they deserved to die? Was Hartley just being stubborn? He thought he knew, but that little bit of doubt kept bothering him. He'd already killed. How much worse was this, really? Were these lives more important than the ones they'd taken? His peers had never done anything worth remembering, and they weren't on the track to be more. What was their value, then? Maybe... this had been a long time coming. Maybe this was what they were meant to do. 

What was the point in pretending he was _good_ when he'd already been corrupted?

He couldn't go back to being normal after all that had happened.

"No more... after this. No one else dies."

Axel's eyes _sparkled,_ smile laced in something dark. "Sure, Piper."

 

They both know it's a lie. Hartley isn't sure how he feels about that, or anything else, anymore. He just knows he loves Axel.

**Author's Note:**

> So. That happened.
> 
> Axel is... probably ooc? I've never written him before (outside of the chat room fic) because I just can't pin down his character no matter how many fics I read with him or how many times I rewatch his scenes. Let's keep in mind that I pulled a lot of influence from JD's character, too. 
> 
> This wasn't going to end how it did. But then I decided to listen to the Heathers soundtrack while writing, and Our Love Is God came on...
> 
> cliches-and-coffee on tumblr.


End file.
